Key projects underway to address challenging issues

Over the past two decades, Government funding practice has sharpened its focus on accountability. Over 90% of all public funding to community and voluntary groups is now being paid as a contract for service. Many community and voluntary sector organisations report that the contracting culture is counter-productive and undermines the potential for strong working relationships between government and the sector.

We’re working to improve government’s funding and accountability arrangements with community and voluntary organisations. This work will build on initiatives undertaken in other parts of government to improve funding processes to better support communities, hapu and iwi and deliver value for money. This OCVS-led project will have wide application across all government agencies that fund the community and voluntary sector.

This project takes a whole-of-government and whole-of-sector approach to government funding practice and will enable community people and officials to shape issues and good practice. Insights and guidance resulting from the project will be available on an ongoing basis through the Good Practice Funding online resource.

In late 2009, tenders were called for a contractor to develop the draft text of a Code of Funding Practice (the Code) to assist government agencies and community and voluntary sector organisations when entering into government funding arrangements.

The final approved Code will be made available to the public online and possibly in hard copy.  The Code will be written in plain language so that community and voluntary sector organisations can easily understand the Code’s core principles when entering into funding arrangements.

The initial phase of the Code project will involve:

• seeking input from members of the Funding and Accountability Interest Group established by the OCVS
• consideration of other similar codes available internationally
• seeking specific advice from a range of parties (specified in the RfP)

The Code of Practice is proposed to assist:

• government funders to implement official guidance from Treasury and Office of the Auditor-General and to overcome identified issues
• community and voluntary sector organisations to manage their funding relationships with government agencies.

We are working to improve government engagement with community and voluntary organisations and citizens in policy and service development processes. The project involves representatives from the community sector and government agencies.

With Philanthropy New Zealand and Volunteering New Zealand, we’re spearheading the Generosity Hub to explore ways to inspire individuals and businesses to give time, money or in-kind donations.